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Peter Hain to stand down as Labour MP at 2015 general election Peter Hain to stand down as Labour MP at 2015 general election
(about 3 hours later)
Former cabinet minister, Peter Hain, has "decided to draw stumps" on his Commons career following a series of discussions with Ed Miliband, and will stand down as a Labour MP at the 2015 general election. Peter Hain, the leading anti-apartheid activist who became a Labour MP and cabinet minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, has announced that he is standing down at the next election.
Hain, who was one of the Labour leader's earliest backers in the battle for the party's top job, indicated that he may take on a new role away from Westminster. He said that after 23 years in parliament, he had decided to 'draw stumps' on his Commons career and seek 'new ways' of getting involved in progressive politics.
Miliband praised the Neath MP for his integrity, wisdom and tireless work for the country and said he would be sorely missed. Ed Miliband paid tribute to the former Young Liberal whose prominent role in the campaigns to stop South African rugby and cricket teams touring England in the early 1970s made him a prominent national figure long before he entered parliament, saying that Hain would be sorely missed.
During his lengthy career, he served in the cabinet under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, with stints as Northern Ireland secretary, Welsh secretary, work and pensions secretary and leader of the Commons. The Labour leader said: "A political activist and campaigner for over 50 years, Peter Hain is one of the most experienced politicians in the House of Commons in which he has served as member for Neath for nearly a quarter of a century.
Hain had been reselected to fight the 2015 election for Neath but said he would now find new ways to be involved in politics. "It goes without saying that his integrity, wisdom and firmness in speaking up for those least empowered to speak for themselves, will all be sorely missed. "He served with great distinction as secretary of state for Wales, for Work and Pensions and as leader of the Commons but it was as secretary of state for Northern Ireland that Peter will be most missed, negotiating the historic peace settlement establishing devolved government in Northern Ireland.
"Having been reselected last December as Labour candidate for Neath, I was planning to stand again next year," he said. "However, after considerable thought and in discussion with Ed Miliband, leader of the party and for many years my close colleague, I have decided to draw stumps on my House of Commons career. "Whilst I will miss his personal friendship and humour on the green benches, and he will be greatly missed by the people of Neath, I know he will continue to serve our party and the country and remain actively engaged in politics and public life for many years to come."
Hain, who after leaving the the Young Liberals for Labour became a leading figure on the soft left of the party, and a champion for activism, said that he had originally intended to stand again in Neath.
"However, after considerable thought and in discussion with Ed Miliband, leader of the party and for many years my close colleague, I have decided to draw stumps on my House of Commons career," he said.
"I have been in politics for some 50 years, 23 of those in the House; whilst it is my firm intention to remain active in politics, I have decided that it is time to find new ways to represent the new progressive politics to which I and Ed Miliband are committed. It's time for a change."I have been in politics for some 50 years, 23 of those in the House; whilst it is my firm intention to remain active in politics, I have decided that it is time to find new ways to represent the new progressive politics to which I and Ed Miliband are committed. It's time for a change.
"By next May I will have been privileged to serve the marvellous constituency of Neath and its people for nearly a quarter of a century. They warmly welcomed me as an outsider, and members of my family subsequently moved to the Neath Valley where I will remain living after I have stepped down and continue to support Labour in our mission to build a better Neath."By next May I will have been privileged to serve the marvellous constituency of Neath and its people for nearly a quarter of a century. They warmly welcomed me as an outsider, and members of my family subsequently moved to the Neath Valley where I will remain living after I have stepped down and continue to support Labour in our mission to build a better Neath.
"Meanwhile I will campaign hard once my successor has been chosen for a Labour victory – in Neath, throughout Wales and across Britain.""Meanwhile I will campaign hard once my successor has been chosen for a Labour victory – in Neath, throughout Wales and across Britain."
Hain was raised in South Africa and first came to public attention as a hardline anti-apartheid campaigner before entering mainstream politics.Hain was raised in South Africa and first came to public attention as a hardline anti-apartheid campaigner before entering mainstream politics.
He angered middle England with his role in disrupting South African rugby and cricket tours. In 1972 he was sent a letter bomb, but it failed to explode because of faulty wiring. He angered middle England – earning the nickname 'Hain the Pain' to his opponents – with his role in disrupting South African rugby and cricket tours. In 1972 he was sent a letter bomb, but it failed to explode because of faulty wiring.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock persuaded him to join the party and he became MP for the rock-solid Labour seat of Neath in a by-election in 1991. Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock persuaded him to join the Labour party and he became MP for the rock-solid Labour seat of Neath in a by-election in 1991.
When Labour stormed to power in 1997 he became a whip and then a junior minister in the Welsh Office. Tony Blair was impressed by his modernising skills and also the effort he put into the referendum campaigns for devolution in Scotland and Wales. When Labour stormed to power in 1997 he became a whip and then a junior minister in the Welsh Office. Tony Blair was impressed by his modernising credentials and also the effort he put into the referendum campaigns for devolution in Scotland and Wales.
In October 2002 Hain replaced Paul Murphy as secretary of state for Wales and was then given the additional role of leader of the Commons in June 2003.In October 2002 Hain replaced Paul Murphy as secretary of state for Wales and was then given the additional role of leader of the Commons in June 2003.
He became Northern Ireland secretary in May 2005, working with Blair and then Irish taoiseach Bertie Ahern to persuade all parties to end the political deadlock in the province.He became Northern Ireland secretary in May 2005, working with Blair and then Irish taoiseach Bertie Ahern to persuade all parties to end the political deadlock in the province.
In 2007 he threw his hat in the ring for the deputy Labour leadership but failed to properly register donations to his campaign, leading him to quit as work and pensions and Welsh secretary the following year.In 2007 he threw his hat in the ring for the deputy Labour leadership but failed to properly register donations to his campaign, leading him to quit as work and pensions and Welsh secretary the following year.
In 2009 he returned to government as secretary of state for Wales.In 2009 he returned to government as secretary of state for Wales.
Miliband said: "A political activist and campaigner for over 50 years, Peter Hain is one of the most experienced politicians in the House of Commons in which he has served as member for Neath for nearly a quarter of a century. Neath's constituency Labour party paid tribute to Hain's service. In a statement it said: "For the last 23 years Peter Hain has served the people of Neath tirelessly, fighting for constituents and our Labour party values ... and he brought many hundreds of millions of pounds of compensation to thousands of chronically ill miners.
"It goes without saying that his integrity, wisdom and firmness in speaking up for those least empowered to speak for themselves, will all be sorely missed. Whether on the backbenches, the front bench or in the he has served the Labour party and the country tirelessly.
"He served with great distinction as secretary of state for Wales, for work and pensions and as leader of the Commons but it was as secretary of state for Northern Ireland that Peter will be most missed, negotiating the historic peace settlement establishing devolved government in North Ireland.
"Whilst I will miss his personal friendship and humour on the green benches, and he will be greatly missed by the people of Neath, I know he will continue to serve our party and the country and remain actively engaged in politics and public life for many years to come."
Neath's constituency Labour party also paid tribute to Hain. In a statement it said: "For the last 23 years Peter Hain has served the people of Neath tirelessly, fighting for constituents and our Labour party values. Holding government positions like secretary of state for Wales he delivered further devolution for the people of Wales and at the Department of Trade and Industry he brought many hundreds of millions of pounds of compensation to thousands of chronically ill miners.
"His unstinting work to negotiate a peace settlement in Northern Ireland has brought a stability to the area that just years before no-one would have thought possible."His unstinting work to negotiate a peace settlement in Northern Ireland has brought a stability to the area that just years before no-one would have thought possible.
"In the Neath constituency he has helped many thousands of people through his surgeries and advice office. For over two decades he has been a popular campaigning MP fighting for residents and taking up the causes with great passion and commitment, and putting Neath on the map.""In the Neath constituency he has helped many thousands of people through his surgeries and advice office. For over two decades he has been a popular campaigning MP fighting for residents and taking up the causes with great passion and commitment, and putting Neath on the map."